Entrepreneurship

Whether you’ve had long-standing goals of entrepreneurship or the thought of running a business is super intimidating, we can all agree that this career path is the quintessential road not taken for most rehab providers.

After all, clinicians are not typically encouraged to pursue entrepreneurship. We’re told it’s risky (it can be) and it’s a lot of work (it usually is). And, for many of us, the thought of running a business just doesn’t align with the main reason why we originally chose a healthcare career: we wanted career stability!

The thing is, times change, and we change as people. We might want stability in one phase of life and be ready for more risk at another point—especially if there’s a big problem we know we can help solve. And there are still SO many problems left to be solved in our world. Entrepreneurship is all about solving problems. Yes, it is risky, but it’s just not fair to imply that entrepreneurship is too hard for a clinician. It’s not. And there are countless success stories out there to prove it. 

There are so many types of entrepreneurship out there, and there are opportunities to take more or less risks per your comfort level. 

For example, starting an online business has nearly no overhead costs and nearly no risk, other than the time you invest in the process, which some call the “opportunity cost.” And there are also other ways to run businesses, such as purchasing an existing business with the intent to continue it as is or grow it, or signing up to become a franchise owner of an established brand.

Smiling businesswoman with curly hair stands confidently in a modern office space with colleagues.

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Initially, you’re doing literally everything. All the pros can also be seen as cons. So, if a pro is schedule flexibility and working whenever you want, the con is that you need to have a LOT of self-discipline to ensure you get all your work done. 

But if you’re able to exercise the self-discipline and vision needed to execute solutions and truly address big problems in the world, you’ll be successful. And you’ll be your own boss. That means vacations anytime you want, remote options for anyone and everyone you choose, and the sky is truly the limit for how much income you can earn.

Pros and cons of entrepreneurship

Every industry has its pros and cons, and we’d be remiss if we recommended you pursue a specific sector without sharing the bad along with the good. Here are a few pros and cons you’ll find working in entrepreneurship.

Pros

  • Flexibility – You are truly your own boss, and you can set whatever hours you want. Sure, if you run a home modifications franchise, you’ll probably want to work hours when your clients are actually awake. But you can do all your bookkeeping at 3 am, if that’s your thing!
  • Agency – Working in healthcare can feel a bit demoralizing, especially when so much of the care we provide is dictated by insurance companies and management. Running a business flips the script and lets us feel a sense of ownership. The mission statement is our own, and we can choose to work with whomever we want. 
  • Fulfillment – Many of us chose healthcare as a fulfilling career path, only to find we feel empty at the end of the day. Running a business—especially one that helps others—can bring an incredible sense of fulfillment to your work, which makes those long hours worth it! 
  • Limitless Opportunity – There are only a few select careers out there where the harder you work, the more you can grow and earn. Entrepreneurship is one of those precious few options, and the sky truly is the limit in terms of growth AND income with this type of work.

Cons

  • Low Starting Pay – One of the frustrations of starting a business is the fact that it takes time to make real money. Many fledgling entrepreneurs choose to create small businesses and run them as side hustles instead of quitting their jobs to dive head-first into entrepreneurship. 
  • Hard Work – We’d be lying if we said entrepreneurship is easy. But neither is patient care. And spending long hours on your own venture is different from slogging away working for a soulless corporation. Much like having kids (or so we’re told), “it’s different when it’s yours!”
  • Risky – We also can’t sugar coat the fact that running a business is inherently risky. If the market changes, a new competitor emerges, or you get sick/injured and can’t run the show, your entire business model might have to shift. For some people, this is a fun challenge. For others, it’s an insurmountable roadblock that makes them close shop forever.
  • Isolation – Whether you work as a solopreneur or have a team, it can be lonely at the top, as they say. Unless you start a business with a partner or team of buddies, the lack of camaraderie in entrepreneurship can feel isolating.

Clinicians working in entrepreneurship

Articles

At the end of the day, it’s important for aspiring entrepreneurs to assess their skills, goals, and availability to determine whether business ownership is the right path. After all, starting a business from scratch is very different from buying a business with the intent of growing it. And both of those are quite different from starting a franchise or even taking over an existing one. But if you find a problem you truly want to solve and position yourself accordingly as a business owner, you’ll probably LOVE the life of an entrepreneur. 

Note that we used the world PROBABLY in that last sentence. That’s because you took a very quick personality assessment. We’re proud of that assessment—we bet you’re nodding your head at how well your results suit you—but it’s still a simple, free, online personality quiz.

The reality is that everyone’s life is different. We all have stakeholders in our lives (friends, family, pets, volunteer commitments), and their needs will impact what we can commit to our careers. We might NEED to work remotely. We might NEED part-time work. Or maybe we simply cannot fathom the thought of taking on the ownership and responsibility of a business on top of our other life commitments. 

Ultimately, it’s up to you to look within and discover what really makes you tick, which is why we know you’ll love our free lesson (password: FIRSTSTEP)! In this 28-minute video, you’ll gain deeper insights into your life and career priorities through a powerful self-discovery exercise that will help kickstart your non-clinical journey.

Take the First Lesson Free!
(password: FIRSTSTEP)

Feeling overwhelmed? We created Non-Clinical 101 to take the guesswork and overwhelm off your plate. The online, self-paced format provides a structured playbook with lifetime access—so you achieve your goals on your timeline.

Getting started is always the hardest part, but you CAN do this. Whether you dive in right away or schedule a course binge for later, ​Non-Clinical 101​ is waiting for you with lifetime access and a supportive community. Plus, you’ll receive early-access to our weekly jobs every Sunday.

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